Medallion with Return from a Spring Outing

I chose this piece of art because, well, simply put it’s just amazing.  Look at the detailed carving on this piece of ivory that is only 3 3/8 in. in diameter.  Can anyone imagine holding something so small and creating something with such exquisite detail?  Just amazing. 

Anyway, this medallion is a piece of art from the late 16th-early 17th century China and the Ming Dynasty (the artist is unkown).  Although the function of this medallion is still not known it is one of the few carvings that can definitely be linked to the Ming Dynasty (1).  The scene shows a scholarly man riding a horse through a town apparently returning from a spring outing which in these times meant returning with wine and poetry.  The various flowers like the lotus and peony represent art during this time period (1).   If looking closely, there are other people in the medallion that are probably not as high a class as the traveler but that are obviously assisting him in his journey or preparing the town for his arrival.  So, not only is the artwork amazing, the story behind the artwork brings about a sort of curiosity as to the intentions of the travelling man and those around him. 

1.  “Medallion with Return from a Spring Outing [China] (1993.176)”.  In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.  New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000-. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/08/eac/ho_1993.176.htm (September 2008).  Retrieved July 29, 2009.

Of Frida Kahlo’s 143 paintings, 55 are self portraits.  She was once quoted as saying, “I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality” (http://www.frida-kahlo-foundation.org/biography.html).  Frida was born in 1907 in the Mexico City suburb of Coyoacan.  Her father was of Jewish-Hungrarian ancestry and her mother was Spanish and Mexican Indian.  Most of her self portraits are used to display the physical and psychological anguish she endured her whole life.  At the age of 6 she contracted polio which left her with one leg quite thinner than the other.  At the age of 18 she was involved in a horrible bus accident resulting in 30 plus surgeries and therefore much time spent not being able to do much, leading her to her life of painting.  This accident, her supplemental surgeries (including much pain), and also emotional turmoils such as miscarriages and a tumultuous marriage to Diego Rivera were her inspirations for many paintings.  Unfortunately, Kahlo died at the young age of 47 due to pulmonary emoblism but some speculate that it was a suicide due to the pain and turmoil she had gone through all her life, but especially in the year before her death.  In her diary, a few days before she died she wrote ”I hope the exit is joyful – and I hope never to return – Frida” (http://www.frida-kahlo-foundation.org/biography.html).

 In the following painting titled The Frame, done in 1932, Kahlo portrays herself with a multitude of bright colors and different shapes.

According to the Frida Kahlo Foundation website, “At the invitation of Andre Breton, she went to France in 1939 and was featured at an exhibition of her paintings in Paris. The Louvre bought one of her paintings, The Frame, which was displayed at the exhibit. This was the first work by a 20th century Mexican artist ever purchased by the internationally renowned museum”.  Personally, I like this work because it is so colorful and shameless.  She depicted herself as she views her image and used so much eye-opening technique that one is drawn to the painting.  It’s not something I would hang on my living room wall but as a piece of art, I admire it.

The Liberation of Aunt Jemima

 Betye Saar was born in 1926 in Los Angeles, California.  Although she was introduced to art at an early age, she did not become famous for her artistic talents until much later in life.  Being a mother of three daughters took up a lot of her time and it wasn’t until the age of 46 that she created the piece of art shown above.  The Liberation of Aunt Jemima  was her initial piece in a series of artistic works she created that “aimed at reclaiming the derogatory images of Blacks” (Montagne, 2006).  Saar once stated, “I’m the kind of person who recycles materials but I also recycle emotions and feelings…and I had a great deal of anger about the segregation and the racism in this country. And so this series sort of evolved. And if feel like if I had to say what was my contribution to the art world and to the world in general as an African American woman, [it] would be this series.”  As one can see, this series is very important to her in not only displaying her diversity but her thoughts on this diversity and the turmoil that was seen during this period in our history.  I personally think that this piece of work is powerful yet entertaining.  It takes a stand while mocking what seemed to be traditional roles of African American women at this time saying “We’re worth more than this and we will be more than this”. 

Crossings

The above piece done in 2006, shows a photo of an African American WWI soldier mounted on a tomb shaped piece of wood.  Saar had she didn’t mean for this piece to be morbid but that it turned out that way.  The reason its called Crossings is because there is a diagram of a slave ship on the bottom.  I feel that this piece is quite morbid but I associate tombstones with death.  However I think it draws in many aspects of African American history with the United States using the slave ships as a symbol of crossing and coming to this country and the soldier as a representation of how individuals from that same background were then being a part of defending this country.

Another piece of work done by Saar in 2006 is called Dark Star.   I find it intriguing because there is so much going on.  I tried to interpret it, to see if there was any meaning I was missing…but to be honest, I couldn’t quite figure it out!   Maybe it is the spirit of the woman underground that seems to be dead and the butterfly represents the rebirth of the woman.  Butterflies come from caterpillars that create coccoons and that may be representative of the spirit coming from the woman.  

Dark Star

 The work done by Betye Saar represents work done by a female from a diverse background.  She grew up an African American during times of segregation and racial turmoil.  She represented her emotions and views on those topics through her art and gave many people something to look at and admire that had meaning.  She gave an artistic voice that spread so that all could hear.

Another woman that came from a diverse background that made an impact on the art world was Lisa Fifield.  Lisa was born in 1957 and comes from an Oneida background (an Iroquois tribe of Native Americans of Wisconsin) and grew up in Minnesota.  She is very well known for her work there and continues to display and exhibit her art around the area.  Her artistic inspiration, ideas, and Native American influence in her art all began during her childhood when her family would take roadtrips all over the country.  “One of her first memories in Washimgton state was of telling her mother that Mt. Rainier was following her. She also remembers the personal impact of visiting Native American settlements known as missions, a southwestern experience that left a lasting impression. Nothern Plains artistry and culture, Alaska and tribes along the nothwestern coast continue to influence her work” (www.Arcticravengallery.com). 

Mantiou

“’Manitou’ is a piece that shows the merging identity of the human, the elk, and the tree in a naturalistic, alert flowing together of souls” (Seal, 2005).  Some have even said to have interpreted this piece as a representation of the Great Spirit.  I think that that interpretation is accurate because of the blending of all aspects of nature into one being; human, animal, and plant.  Manitou like most of Fifield’s work depicts Native American culture and shines a light on this culture and its diversity. 

Brooks Range

 Brooks Range was completed in 2002 and it is a great example of the watercolor painting that Fifield is best known for.  She was quite fond of painting Native American inspired art and using landscapes that she was familiar with and had experienced at one point in her life.

The piece called “Big Fat Ma and Skinny Pa” was recorded by Richard M. Jones with the vocal chorus by the very popular Louis Armstrong on June 23, 1926 in Chicago, IL.  Louis Armstrong is arguably the most famous jazz musician of all time.  Although he wasn’t famous for his compositions, he was famous for his improvisations, both with the trumpet and vocally with a style called “scat”.  Scat was a new development from the American Jazz era which itself developed from the Southern United States and was based on rhythms and vocal music of West Africa.  African Americans took these influences and created a new type of music with syncopated melodies and swing rhythms that overtook not only the Southern United States but the whole country and even other countries around the world.

The reason I enjoy Louis Armstrong’s music so much is because it is innovative and original.  Who else has a voice like Louis Armstrong?  I think it’s the most unique sounding voice I’ve ever heard.  In this particular piece, “Big Fat Ma and Skinny Pa”  found here:  www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/Louie/Hot5/bigfat.ram, there are certain instruments heard including the cornet (very similar to the trumpet), a trombone, and piano and of course the vocal melodies of Louis Armstrong.  This piece is just upbeat and honestly, it makes me smile when I listen to it.  I imagine jazz clubs from back in the 1920s and can visualize dance and can understand why they feel the need to dance to music like this!

For the most part I find Impressionism appealing.  I would have to say the only thing that I don’t like about it is it’s focus towards the upper and middle class and not towards everyone.  I suppose that the amusements and pasttimes of the upper and middle classes are more interesting and fantasy-like than those of the lower class but I wonder if it was still appealing to the lower class?  I find the subject matter of the Impressionist Era very intriguing.  The subject matter revolves around pleasant, fleeting moments, amusements and passtimes of upper and middle classes and transitory effects of light and weather.  The artist used sketchy loose brush strokes and lines and dabs of colors that blended to create a fusion of several colors. 

Water Lily Pond by Claude Monet

The above picture is a prime example of the brush strokes mentioned above.  It also shows the transitory effects of light and is just a pleasant moment in time to view and focus on.  Claude Monet finished this work of art in 1899 in Giverny.  He was one of the most, if not the most, famous Impressionist painters of all time. 

Now, Post-Impressionism was different from that of Impressionism.  Post Impressionism is more formalized and structured than Impressionism and also allows for more personal interpretation.  According to The National Gallery website, “The classification [of Post-Impressionims] covers artists who were aware of Impressionism but who sought to move beyond it – the term is sometimes applied to late work of the original Impressionists”.  One of the most famous of the Post-Impressionistic artists was Vincent Van Gogh.  He was not as popular during his time as he is today.

Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear byVincent Van Gogh

Van Gogh completed this painting in 1889 in Arles.  He focused on the tragedies in his life and used brilliant colors.  This pictures shows the more formal aspect of Post-Impressionism and as one can see, the focus doesn’t seem to be on amusements and pleasant moments only. 

All together I prefer Impressionism to Post-Impressionism however, I prefer the Romantic style of painting as well.  Romantic style painting uses mists, dreams, fabulous landscapes, and horrible tragedies as its subject matter.  The emotional and dramatic style of this type of art is very appealing to me.  Caspar David Friedrich painted this in 1818. It leaves room for interpretation and one could imagine that the man is in a dream state or meditating which is what we might expect to find in Romantic-style paintings.

Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich

Sources:

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/server.php?show=conObject.95

http://www.german.leeds.ac.uk/RWI/2003_04project2/Images/friedrich.wanderer-sea-fog.jpeg